Feeling a great disturbance in the Force today?

Feeling something especially foul in the air (or water)? That would be giant, orange, talking yam Donald Trump in town to give the keynote address to Shale Insight 2016 -- a conference by the same fine folks who gave us this headline: "Cancer-causing chemical made famous by Erin Brockovich found in local water systems."

Anyhoo, if you're already downtown today, you might want to join the welcome wagon outside of the David Lawrence Convention Center -- happening now until 1:00 p.m.

Gasland Part II: Free Advance Screening And Q&A; With Director Josh Fox Tonight!

Facebook event page here

Tell the PA Senate: No immunity for frackers! (SB411)

Via PennEnvironment:

The Pennsylvania Senate could vote as soon as this afternoon to give drilling companies immunity – making it virtually impossible to hold them accountable to accidents and spills.

We all know the oil and gas industry has an atrocious record of spills and accidents in Pennsylvania -- granting them immunity for risky activity is the last thing we should do.

Join me in telling our state senators to vote NO to letting gas drilling companies off the hook from their accidents and pollution in our communities.

In a move that mixes the worst of Pennsylvania’s past pollution with its current one, Senate Bill 411 removes liability for gas drilling companies when they use contaminated water from abandoned coal mines.  

What could this mean?   

• When drilling companies have spills or accidents, it may be virtually impossible to hold them accountable.  

• If you own property adjacent to or downstream from one of these accidents, you couldn’t take actions to recover damages.   

• And the bill is so vague that it’s even unclear if enforcement agencies could hold fracking companies accountable under existing laws if they chose to violate them.

Click here to take action: http://bit.ly/NoImmunityForFrackers

Finally, some much needed oversight!

Finally, we have some much needed oversight from some newly minted elected officials here in Pennsyltucky:

New PA Attorney General Kathleen Kane to launch an investigation into the Attorney General’s office’s (Tom Corbett's) handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse case.

New PA Auditor General Eugene DePasquale to order a performance audit of the Department of Environmental Protection’s policing of the natural gas industry “to make sure our constitutional right to pure water is not being compromised.”

New PA State Rep. Erin Molchany speaks out against Governor Corbett's deal to hand over control of the billion-dollar-a-year Pennsylvania Lottery to a foreign firm with no say by anyone other than Corbett:

Karl Rove in Pittsburgh Today

Karl "The Architect" Rove on The Colbert Report

George W. Bush's favorite turd blossom, Karl Rove, will be in Pittsburgh today at the DUG East Convention. The theme of the convention is "Unleashing the Utica, Monetizing the Marcellus." Rove is being advertised as the "Special Luncheon Speaker." The description of his speech is as follows:

A Post-Election Luncheon with Karl Rove

In an encore appearance at DUG East, the former deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush shares his view of the ballot results and their implications for better U.S. government policy.

Hmm..."shares his view of the ballot results and their implications for better U.S. government policy." Think that was written before the election? And before his utter embarrassment on FOX News on election night? Well, it was. You'd think someone would want to update that a bit.

Or maybe Karl will continue to thumb his nose at reality...

Also, for you fracktivists out there, there is a planned protest tomorrow at this convention. Via Facebook:

Protest Michael Krancer at Frackers' Convention

Public Event · By Marcellus Protest
Thursday 11:00am

Info: info@marcellusprotest.org 

In honor of its two year anniversary, Marcellus Protest is organizing a spur of the moment, DIY protest at the 'Developing Un-natural Gas' [DUG} convention. This year's convention features PA DEP's Michael Krancer, who speaks at 11:15 on Nov. 15.

Well, we've got a few things to tell the frackers too. Bring your own signs. ...

STUDENTS: "Say NO To Campus Drilling! Join us on November 15 at 11:00am outside the David Lawrence Convention Center to protest the natural gas industry's plan to frack and install related infrastructure on private and state university lands in Pennsylvania. We will be joined by Marcellus Protest Coalition, the grassroots organizers who successfully banned drilling through Pittsburgh City Council.

Afterward, we will visit newly re-elected Senator Bob Casey Jr's field office and deliver our message to his staff.

You may recall that PA's DEP is under fire over their water test reports:

Testimony by a high-ranking state Department of Environmental Protection official reveals the agency may have intentionally left out part of the results of water testing in relation to Marcellus shale drilling.

According to a press release from the office of state Rep. Jesse White, D-47, Cecil Township, the sworn testimony of DEP Bureau of Laboratories Technical Director Taru Upadhyay revealed the DEP used a computer code system that intentionally left out a portion of test results for residents who were concerned their water had been contaminated by nearby drilling.

“This is beyond outrageous,” White said. “Anyone who relied on the DEP for the truth about whether their water has been impacted by drilling activities has apparently been intentionally deprived of critical health and safety information by their own government.”

Progressive Endorsements!

Keystone Progress here

Planned Parenthood here

NARAL here

Marcellus at the Polls (anti fracking) here


And, file this under "It must run in the family" from my nephew, Will:

Alternative Candidates for Congress: Senate here

Alternative Candidates for Congress: House here and here

Dear Mayor Luke Frackenstahl,

Via Pittsburgh BusinessTimes:

As the state Supreme Court considers arguments in favor of statewide zoning for Marcellus Shale exploration, Pittsburgh’s Mayor Luke Ravenstahl encouraged people to contact City Council and ask its members to overturn a citywide ban on fracking that sends the wrong message to industry, he said Monday.  

Ravenstahl, along with every other speaker, was extolling the opportunities of shale development at the Consumer Energy Alliance’s 2012 Pennsylvania Energy and Manufacturing Summit, when the topic came to Act 13.

Dear Mayor Luke Ravenenstahl,

You're wrong. The message sent by Pittsburgh City Council's ban on fracking in the city of Pittsburgh is exactly the right message:

WE DON'T WANT FRACKING IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH!

More's the pity that you simply don't want to hear that message.

Sincerely,
Pittsburghers Who Care About Our Environment

The Sky Is Pink

"The Sky Is Pink" is Josh Fox's short documentary follow-up to his "Gasland" film. Pittsburgh's very own Doug Shields provides the title.

Annotated documents featured in the film can be found here.

Speaking of clean water, the Clean Rivers Campaign is hosting a kickoff event tonight for green solutions to our sewage overflow problems:

Clean Rivers Campaign Kickoff Event
When: Thursday, June 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Where: International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 95. 300 Saline St., Pittsburgh, PA 15207 (map)
RSVP: http://action.sierraclub.org/CRCKickOff
Questions? Contact Rachel Martin, rachel.martin@sierraclub.org.
Event Poster: Here

(More info on that event can be found here.)

UPDATE: Meant to add this link: "House approves bill on drilling at state colleges" (because, what the hell, their kids probably go to private schools).

The Fracktivist Vote

While it certainly feels like the all the election talk is about 2012, you do have the opportunity to elect some folks next month. And while the focus for November in these parts has been squarely centered on Fitzgerald vs. Raja (ugh and triple ugh), there are other races. If you want a reason to go to the polls -- and to feel good about your vote -- how about showing some love to the candidates who have taken a stand against fracking?

Who are these pols? There's a Facebook group for that: Marcellus at the Polls 2011

You'll want to click on the "Docs" link to find the list for PA.

Those of particular interest to Burghers include:

EUGENE DEPASQUALE (D) for Auditor General - running in 2012
Statewide Race
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/DePasqualePA
Campaign website: http://eugene4pa.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/RepDePasquale
Platform (specific to mentioning his stance on drilling): http://eugene4pa.com/issues/pure-water/

DAVID WECHT (D) for Superior Court
Statewide Race
Campaign Ad (31 seconds): www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=291932100833883
Campaign website: http://www.wecht2011.com/
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/pages/Judge-David-N-Wecht/149288135132481?sk=wall
About the Superior Court: www.superior.court.state.pa.us/about.htm

KATHRYN BOOCKVAR for Commonwealth Court
Statewide Race
**SIERRA CLUB ENDORSED** (rare!)
Campaign website: www.boockvar.com/about-kathryn.html
One page resume: here
Platform on Marcellus within body: www.boockvar.com/index.html

COREY O'CONNOR (D) for Pittsburgh City Council District 5
(formerly held by fracktivist Doug Shields)
Campaign website: http://coreyoconnorforcouncil.com/
(Statement about fracking at the Facebook link above)

You can meet DePasquale this Sunday:

Join Eugene at a Steelers/Patriots Watch Party in Pittsburgh
Young Brother's Bar (1441 Woods Run Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA)
Between 3:00 and 8:00 this Sunday, October 30th
Complimentary admission for all.
Please RSVP or send questions to Liz Wagenseller at liz@eugene4pa.com

Also, while I'm not thrilled about Wecht's cutesy, Fitzgerald-syle, family TV ad currently running (really, I don't care what your kids think of any of you pols unless you're, say, beating them), he actually has an ad about fracking which you can view here.

Protest/Rally Tuesday

Lots going on today:

12:30, Environmental: Press conference, 1:30 clean air march. "clean air and water / for stronger protection against natural gas and oil pollution." ~ 10 major national, state and local enviro groups. Outside David L Lawrence Convention Center. Street address of the Conv. Ctr is 1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd., Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Part of the EPA's public hearing, 9 AM to 8 PM. I believe one can still sign up to speak via this link or this link. Not sure what times of day are still available, nor if they'll take walk-ins. Links here and here and here.

1:30 PM, Voting: "Fix the economy, not our elections" (encourage Corbett to join other notable R's who oppose the R plan to re-allocate PA electoral votes in a way that's calculated to give an excess of votes to R's, compared to the popular vote). Outside 301 Fifth Ave. Piatt Place Building downtown Pittsburgh. Links here and here

4 PM, Save America's Postal Service: Various locations statewide, "save your post office and P.O. delivery" AFL-CIO & others, incl. E Carson &26th & 504 Washington Road, Pittsburgh. Link to locations

Frack me? No, no! Frack you!

Anyone who has spent any time listening to the pro fracking crowd knows that pretty much the first thing out of their mouths is the assertion that there's never been a proven case of fracking contaminating underground drinking water -- it's been their mantra. I maintain that that is pretty much a red herring as you do not need to pollute groundwater to harm the water supply. The water used in fracking has to go somewhere and very little is being recycled. Aside from illegal dumping and leaching from fracking pools, water treatment facilities simply aren't equipped to handle even the legal disposal of the witches' brew of toxicity found in the "flowback" water.

That said, guess what? Turns out there is a very well documented case of this very thing and the EPA has known about it for decades. Count me not shocked that they've all been lying to us this whole time.

In Pittsburgh, the City Council voted 6-3 to allow residents to decide if they want fracking in the city, but even though that's a veto-proof majority, the Mayor could simply sit on the bill making it too late to get on the November ballot as a referendum. Council requested that Lil Mayor Luke return it to them by the 8th at 4:30 PM, but we know how well the Mayor listens to Council -- the majority anyway -- so if you believe the citizens should have a say, contact the Mayor now:

Email: luke.ravenstahl@city.pittsburg​h.pa.us
Phone: 412-255-2626

Lastly, Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato has poked his head above ground to weigh in on the referendum. Via the Trib:

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato said Wednesday he has "serious concerns" about the legality of Pittsburgh City Council's proposed ballot referendum banning natural gas drilling within city limits.

Council on Monday approved legislation that would ask voters to decide in November whether to add the ban to the city's Home Rule Charter. Council banned Marcellus shale gas drilling within city limits in November.

Councilman Doug Shields proposed the bill, saying a charter amendment would make the ban harder to overturn. Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, who said he has concerns about the legality of the ban, is considering a veto.

In a written statement, Onorato said he directed the county solicitor and Elections Department to review and analyze the referendum.

[sigh]
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Pittsburgh City Council passes bill to hold anti fracking referendum 6-3

Pittsburgh City Council Bill 1939 (anti fracking referendum) passes 6-3.

On the downside, we can expect a doubling of those ubiquitous Range Resources TV ads...

Burgess to vote YES for anti fracking referendum

Last week Councilman Ricky Burgess abstained from voting on having a referendum to amend the city's Home Rule Charter to include a ban on fracking.

He just said in council chambers that he would vote yes on the final bill (even while questioning the motives of Council members who were for the referendum).

He said he was voting yes because he favors letting the people decide and in hopes that his bills for referendums would be able to go through.

So, that would be six yes votes -- making it veto proof from Lil Mayor Luke.

Yes!

Dowd to vote NO on having fracking ban referendum in Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh City Councilman Patrick Dowd just said he was going to vote no again on giving Pittsburghers the ability to vote on amending the city's Home Rule Charter to include a ban on fracking. Dowd had received numerous emails and phone calls asking him to reconsider his vote.

The bill received five yes votes last week in a preliminary vote (Shields, Peduto, Kraus, Rudiak, Harris).

Lil Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has already said that he would consider vetoing a proposal.

Council would need six votes to overturn that veto.

Looks like we don't have them.

UPDATE: Burgess to vote yes -- that's six votes.
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All Things Marcellus Shale

Pittsburgh City Council will hold a preliminary vote today on Councilor Doug Shields' legislation "that would put a referendum on the November ballot, asking voters whether they want to amend the charter to include the drilling ban that council enacted for the city last fall."

Via the P-G: "In an email to reporters, Mr. Shields said Mr. Fitzgerald, the Democratic nominee for county executive; Dennis Yablonsky, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development; Barbara McNees, a conference official and one of Pittsburgh's state-appointed financial overseers; and Richard Stanizzo, a union official and another state-appointed overseer, were "putting significant political pressure on council members" to vote down the referendum bill." (Also in the City Paper here and Early Returns.)

The email was also forwarded from Shields to at least one blog -- this one -- you can view it here.

Marcellus Shale Protest (via Facebook) urges city dwellers to email City Council to vote for the referendum/show up at Council today.

Via the Trib: "Increased production and higher fuel prices helped natural gas producer Range Resources Corp. drive profit up 466 percent to $51.29 million, or 32 cents a share, for the second quarter compared to $9 million, or 6 cents, a year ago." The increase in profits was credited to "outstanding" drilling results the Marcellus Shale.

Via Keystone Politics: "20 Year Old Worker Dies at Fracking Site" in PA.

Finally, some levity. From Gab Bonesso: "Frack Yeah!" (the movie).

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Coloring outside the lines

It may not come as a great shock to those who read this blog that as a child I did not always color within the lines. In fact, I often very deliberately drew and colored outside the lines -- changing the fashions, hairstyles, gender and race in the Dick and Jane-style illustrations in my coloring books at will.

So, imagine how much fun I would have had with this propaganda piece coloring book:


In it, "Talisman Terry" the "friendly Fracosaurus" explains the wonders of natural gas and fracking with a big, happy face. No mean, old, inconvenient fracking concerns are allowed as the book is published by Talisman Energy. You can view the entire book here and the Post-Gazette article about it here.

I've already started coloring my copy:


I think all parents should download a copy and educate their children as to what's missing from the book so that they can add fracking ponds, exploding rigs, fireballs in sinks, ripped-up roads, etc. to the pretty, pretty pictures and mail them back to Talisman Energy.

Keep coloring outside the lines!


(h/t to Doug Shields)

What The Frack? Catholic Cemeteries ♥ Gas Drilling!

Via The Trib:

A Monroeville drilling company could tap natural gas beneath 15 cemeteries in Allegheny and Washington counties under a lease signed by the Catholic Cemeteries Association of the Diocese of Pittsburgh, the association's director said Tuesday.

The association leased nearly 1,060 acres of cemetery land in 2008 to Huntley & Huntley Inc., including the 200-acre Calvary Cemetery in Hazelwood, which City Councilman Doug Shields called "ground zero" in the debate over whether natural gas drilling should be permitted in Pittsburgh.

"You don't put oil and gas fields in urban areas," Shields said during a news conference about legislation he will propose next month to ban drilling in city limits. "There's too much that can go wrong."

According to the article, Bishop David Zubik could not be reached for comment. Which I guess means no one could ask exactly how deep the consecration of cemetery ground extends...six feet?...20 feet?...I guess less than a mile...Or mention anything about, oh, I don't know, Jesus and the money changers in the temple...

I will add that this story brings to mind any number of horror movie plots starting with this one. And, of course, doesn't Pittsburgh have enough zombie problems already without stirring up more trouble?

Seriously, the article even quotes "high-priced consultant to the gas industry, former Gov. Tom Ridge" having a problem with this. Unfortunately, the real problem with fracking is more for the living than the dead.

Sick, sick, sick.

UPDATE: I saw this on my Facebook New Feed the other day and didn't realize that the article was from last year until it was pointed out to me by Paz in the comments section here. That said, it still blows my mind.

March for Corporate Accountability Today

Wednesday we saw a rally to tell Target to keep the corporate cash out of politics. Today there's a rally and march to "to demand that multi-billion dollar oil and gas company ExxonMobil pay its fair share of taxes to help build a better future for Pittsburgh."

As the Post-Gazette reported yesterday:

ExxonMobil Corp. has bolstered its position in the Marcellus Shale play with a billion-dollar acquisition, paying $1.69 billion for Warrendale-based Philips Resources and TWP Inc.

Slag Heap notes about the sale:

For environmentalists, it's yet another sign that the heavies are taking an increasing interest in the state's gas desposits. And that means that when citizens seek to protect water supplies, for example ... these companies are poised to blow them out of the water.

You might have thought that Marcellus drillers had plenty of influence already, given the seven-digit sums the industry contributed to Gov. Tom Corbett and other pols last year. But that's chump change compared to what a big hitter like Exxon can do when it decides to put its mind to it.

From the rally press release:

By taking advantage of tax breaks and loopholes to the tune of $4.1 billion over the last three years, ExxonMobil is depriving Pittsburgh, Allegheny County and Pennsylvania of much-needed revenue, which is forcing cuts to education, public transit, healthcare and other critical public services needed to strengthen Pennsylvania’s economy. Exxon’s daily profits alone – $213 million – are double the proposed state budget cuts to all 43 school districts in Allegheny County and are ten times the $20 million cuts forced to Pittsburgh bus routes earlier this year.

March for Corporate Accountability
WHAT: March and rally to hold ExxonMobil accountable to Pittsburgh communities
WHO: Hundreds of community members from across Pittsburgh
WHEN: Friday, June 10
3:30 Rally and Speakers at Market Square
4:15 March across Smithfield Bridge
4:30 Rally at Exxon Station (73 E. Carson St.)
WHERE: Starting at Market Square and ending at Exxon Station (73. E. Carson St.)
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Rallies, Protests and a Happy Hour

It's that time of year -- lots going on!

Protest Governor's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday, April 27 · 10:00am - 1:00pm
WHERE: Rachel Carson Building, rm. 105 - Harrisburg PA
WHAT: Protest Governor Tom Corbett's Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission meeting. More info here

Don't Make Us Work Till We Die!
WHEN: Wednesday, April 27 · 12:00pm - 1:00pm
WHERE: Social Security Office, 921 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA
WHAT: Action and Funeral Procession, "Bring: Skull and Crossbones, Death Masks, Skeletons, Wheelchairs and Walkers, anything that signifies Seniors Worked to Death! We have a coffin! After the rally, volunteers will gather petitions downtown and pass out Flyers for the May 3rd Rally, Sponsors so far: Strengthen Social Security, Health Care for America Now, The National Organization of Women, SEIU, ARA, SOAR, CLUW, looking for more!" Sign the petition at http://www.worktillwedie.org/ RSVP here


Rally for Valerie and A Community Call to Action
WHEN: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 12 Noon
WHERE: Freedom Corner (Centre Ave. and Crawford St. intersection), Pittsburgh PA
WHAT: 'Why a "Rally"? To support Valerie McDonald Roberts, the most qualified candidate for Allegheny County Controller.
Why a "Call to Action"? To effect the inclusion of African Americans in Allegheny County leadership positions.' http://allieswithvalerie.com/main/

The PAC is Back -- P2pac Happy Hour
WHEN: Thursday, April 28 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm
WHERE: 3705 Butler Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15201-1819
WHAT: "Join us at Eclipse Lounge Pittsburgh on Thursday from 6-8pm. Reconnect with long-time supporters, welcome new ones, meet our board, and discuss the important May 17 primaries. Mingle, ask questions, learn about the races, and donate to the P2pac (donation not required, but very much appreciated) so that we can support the best local candidates for Pittsburgh's future in the coming elections!" P2pac on Facebook here. RSVP here
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Earth Day 2011

Today is Earth Day (and "Greener Pittsburgh Day" in the City of Pittsburgh).

In completely related news, there was a major blowout at a fracking gas well in Pennsylvania this week spilling "thousands of gallons of chemical-laden fracking fluid" and forcing some families out of Leroy Township in Bradford County.

Via the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Chesapeake suspended all post-drilling activity on its wells in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio, a freeze that will remain in place while they investigate why the well malfunctioned.

Via WITF:

Chesapeake’s voluntary fracking moratorium came a few hours after environmental group PennFuture urged DEP to shut down the company’s drilling operations. “This latest serious problem at a Chesapeake Energy well site demands a serious and vigorous response from DEP,” said president and CEO Jan Jarrett in a statement. “… let’s remember that in February, an inferno erupted at one of Chesapeake’s wells in Washington County injuring three workers. Clearly this company needs to get its house in order and demonstrate to DEP and the public that it can carry on drilling operations safely.”

Maybe if Chesapeake wasn't so busy shilling in the comment section of blogs and other social media sites, they could pay more attention to their drilling activities.

Song for the day: